Rain frustrates India in first Test in England

KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah took a toll of England’s attack in contrasting fashions to leave India well-placed in the first Test on Friday before rain cut short the third day’s play at Trent Bridge, AFP reported.

Opening batsman Rahul, in his first Test for nearly two years, top-scored with 84 as India made 278 in reply to England’s meagre first-innings 183.

Rahul was helped by two dropped slip catches that underlined England’s status as the worst-performing cordon in Test cricket.

At stumps, England were 25-0 in their second innings — a deficit of 70 runs — after rain meant only 50 overs out of the 98 scheduled for the day were bowled.

Earlier, all-rounder Jadeja’s typically dashing 56 featured eight fours and a six and there was more pain for England when tailender Bumrah made a Test-best 28.

“Today I was able to go out there and show a lot of discipline to give my side a good start,” Rahul said after his 12th fifty in 37 Tests.

The 29-year-old, who has also scored five Test hundreds, spent much of his near six-hour innings facing James Anderson and Stuart Broad in overcast conditions that favored the England pace greats.